Mayawati, Akhilesh to hold joint presser on Saturday

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, who are set to fight the Lok Sabha election as allies, will hold a joint press conference here on Saturday.

A media invitation jointly signed by SP General Secretary Rajendra Chowdhary and BSP General Secretary Satish Chandra Mishra said the event will be held at the five-star Taj Hotel.

Informed sources told IANS that the two former Chief Ministers might formally announce the alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha battle and the seat sharing formula.

Mayawati flew into Lucknow late on Thursday and is likely to deliberate with her party leaders on Friday before sealing the electoral pact with SP.

A senior party leader said that while the SP and BSP — once sworn enemies — will share 37 Lok Sabha seats each out of the state’s tally of 80, they will leave two for Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).

The alliance might also leave two seats – Amethi and Rae Bareilly – for the Congress.

These were the only two seats the Congress won in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in which the BSP drew a blank and SP managed to win five seats. The BJP swept 71 seats while its ally Apna Dal got two seats in a four-way contest.

If the BSP, SP and RLD join hands, it will become the most formidable force to take on the BJP.